Windows Extra Printing

Problem

Windows version-- it prints "extra stuff" on top of printed forms or reports (specifically, text from the active window)

Diagnosis

When using the Print Forms command, it includes extra fields on top of the other fields. User may describe it as "garbage" or "gibberish".

This is a weird, mystery problem that only occurs for some users (we've never been able to see it on our test computers). It seems to happen only when printing forms that have been customized by the user.

Solution

Close all windows before printing. The "garbage" is text fields from the active window, which somehow are drawing into the printing.

If printing multiple pages, print just one at a time, instead. The progress dialog can also be a source for the "garbage" text.

Try re-installing the latest version of QuickTime (available from www.apple.com). This may be a bug in QuickTime's printing code.

If that doesn't help, try duplicating the layout-- sometimes new layouts have the problem, sometimes they don't. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Choose Custom Layouts from the Options menu, and choose Printed Forms from the submenu.
2. Use the popup fields at upper left to locate the form that has the problem.
3. Choose Select All from the Edit menu.
4. Choose Copy from the Edit menu.
5. Choose New Layout from the Edit menu.
6. Type in a name for the new layout, and click OK
7. Choose Paste from the Edit menu.
8. Close the window, and save changes when it asks.

Reverting to the original layout prevents this problem, but then you'll lose any changes you made.

NOTE-- We would appreciate seeing this problem in action, so we can fix it! If the above doesn't help, send us a copy of the company file that has the problem (and mention which form prints incorrectly so we can find it!) Any other info you can provide us about when it happens and when it doesn't will be appeciated. Some day we'll track it down, but this has been a chronic mystery bug.

Comments

Entered 3/20/04 by Dennis. Revised 5/3/06 by Dennis.